Superintendent: Report of threat found to be ‘unfounded’

Published: Friday, December 21, 2012 at 10:26 AM.

CHIPLEY — Washington County Schools were locked down Thursday morning after a potential threat was reported to a school administrator, Superintendent Joe Taylor said on Friday.

The Washington County School District had all schools on pre-cautionary lock down Thursday morning. The lockdown began shortly after school began and was lifted just before noon on all Washington County Schools, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

“We had some information reported to a school administrator about a potential threat that had come in through social media,” Taylor said. “Once we got in process of responding to it, the sheriff’s office was involved and the decision was made to lock down the schools.”

“At the end of the day, everything was found to be unfounded,” Taylor said.

"An indirect threat was made, and any time there is a threat to the schools we put them on lock down," said Andrea Gainey, Washington County Sheriff's Office spokesperson. "That is our policy."

“We appreciate your patience as we ensured the well being of those at our area schools,” Gainey said in a sheriff’s office news release.

"There is an officer assigned to every school at this time. It is the policy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office to respond swiftly and aggressively to any threat made in reference to the safety of our residents," according to Sheriff Bobby Haddock. "These measures are being taken proactively to ensure the safety of our area children," the sheriff said in a Facebook post.

CHIPLEY — Washington County Schools were locked down Thursday morning after a potential threat was reported to a school administrator, Superintendent Joe Taylor said on Friday.

The Washington County School District had all schools on pre-cautionary lock down Thursday morning. The lockdown began shortly after school began and was lifted just before noon on all Washington County Schools, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

“We had some information reported to a school administrator about a potential threat that had come in through social media,” Taylor said. “Once we got in process of responding to it, the sheriff’s office was involved and the decision was made to lock down the schools.”

“At the end of the day, everything was found to be unfounded,” Taylor said.

"An indirect threat was made, and any time there is a threat to the schools we put them on lock down," said Andrea Gainey, Washington County Sheriff's Office spokesperson. "That is our policy."

“We appreciate your patience as we ensured the well being of those at our area schools,” Gainey said in a sheriff’s office news release.

"There is an officer assigned to every school at this time. It is the policy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office to respond swiftly and aggressively to any threat made in reference to the safety of our residents," according to Sheriff Bobby Haddock.
"These measures are being taken proactively to ensure the safety of our area children," the sheriff said in a Facebook post.

Taylor said there currently are no plans to increase security at the Washington County schools. “We have the three resource officers in the district.” However, things are changing in light of the recent Newtown, Conn., school shootings.

“Things you used to look at one way, you definitely look at those things differently now,” Taylor said.